Cannondale Chairside Chats: Michel Koch (part two)

Yesterday, in part one, we talked about Michel’s considerable cycling heritage. Into his second season with Cannondale Pro Cycling, we talk about Michel’s ambitions.

G4: What races do you most enjoy?

MK: I enjoy the Classics but I haven’t yet ridden a Grand tour and I hope to soon.

G4: Look out for Michel finishing fourth in last year’s stage two of Tour of Utah. Well you’re only at the start of your career, a Grand Tour’s a big ask for a young rider. You said you liked the Classics are we talking Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders or the Ardennes Classics?

MK: Amstel Gold, Liege-Bastogne-Liege – the Ardennes Classics. I like the hillier ones. Stage races sometimes have similar parcours – I like these too.

G4: What about time-trials?

MK: I like these, I’m good at them! I particularly like the team time-trial. When it’s right, it feels so good, particularly if you’re going fast.

G4: Oh, I love team time-trials. There’s a real art to it and when it’s done well it looks so easy, effortless.

MK: This is where team building becomes an important factor. The riders must know what each one is capable of, how good they are and what they can do. It’s no good if one is really good and the others are not, then it’s a disaster. We need to learn a lot about each other.

G4: Do you do specific team time-trial training?

MK: Yes, so the staff can see which riders can work and train well together.

G4: Sadly, there aren’t too many team time-trials. Just Grand Tours, some week-long stage races and the World Championships.

MK: Team time-trials are really important for cyclists. If you want to win a grand tour, you must be good in both team and individual time-trials otherwise you lose too much time and won’t win the overall. It’s an important discipline.

G4: Of course, the team has many experienced riders that can pass on the benefit of their wisdom to younger riders like yourself?

MK: Of course, it’s great you have a lot of people who aren’t too old on the team and you feel good with this mixture and I can learn a lot from the old[er] guys. It’s great.

G4: You’ve already visited plenty of places in your career. Is there anywhere you’ve particularly enjoyed?

MK: Yes, one of most beautiful places was Australia when I was taking part in the under-23 world championships in Geelong (Melbourne). The Australians were so nice.

We’ll be back tomorrow for the third and final part of the interview with Michel as Paris-Nice concludes on the Promenade Anglais.

Links: Part one